AOG – Aircraft on Ground
An old saying goes, “If it weren’t for acronyms, airplanes couldn’t fly.” It’s probably more accurate than you think. Aviation is riddled with them. And while the vast majority are simple abbreviations, one, in particular, doesn’t really mean what you might think it means.
AOG – Aircraft On Ground – would seem quite simple. The airplane is on the ground. But, while that’s what it’s saying, that’s not what it means. What “aircraft on ground” actually means is that because of any one of a long list of reasons, the aircraft can’t leave the ground.
Perhaps we need a new acronym, ACF, “Aircraft Can’t Fly.” That clears up any confusion.
Anyway, in most cases, AOGs are the result of some mechanical breakdown. And while that’s a big enough headache when the aircraft AOGs at its home base – believe me, that’s never a conversation you want to have with the boss– it’s made a whole lot worse when the aircraft is away from home.
In today’s “everyone who can fly privately is” world, that’s happening a lot more frequently than ever before.
Your AOG is made worse by IOG
Yes, suffering an AOG in a remote location is the stuff that gives Flight Department Managers and DOMs nightmares. It’s not only the logistical issues that go along with needing to care for pilots and passengers; the big problem becomes how quickly, correctly, safely, and cost-effectively that aircraft can be returned to flight status.
The vast majority of repairs require that the technicians doing the work have access to the aircraft’s operational and maintenance logbooks. While that wouldn’t seem like a problem – it is.
Since those logbooks are typically located at your home base, those logbooks could well be half a world away from the aircraft’s location. Those valuable logs are limited to IOG – Information On Ground – so they’re of absolutely no use to the maintainers at the aircraft’s location.
This means that before repairs begin, you must find, pack, and ship those precious paper documents to wherever – the fastest way possible. All of which add time and considerable cost to the process. And more importantly, it is another layer of worry and stress on top of an already highly agitated situation. According to Boeing, a 1-2 hour AOG situation can cost an airline $10,000 to $20,000 and possibly as high as $150,000. Oh, my!
As airplane savvy as your boss may well be, they may still have trouble comprehending why the plane is stuck on the ground while the mechanics wait for some blasted logbooks to arrive.
Bluetail cloud-based logs are instantly accessible anywhere
Ah, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you have all of your aircraft’s valuable operational and maintenance logbooks and forms digitized and stored on Bluetail’s secure cloud network, the technicians tasked with making the repairs would have instant access to any information they need. No matter where they are in the world.
Accessing information faster means repairs can be completed quicker, and the aircraft and its passengers can be off the ground a whole lot sooner, saving time and money. Talk about making the best of a bad situation!
To learn more about Bluetail and how easily its state-of-the-art aircraft records platform can save time while adding security and value to your aircraft’s operational and maintenance records. Schedule your free personalized demo.
